Spinning-top



F. L. LINDSTROM.

SPINNING TOP aPP'ucAnol-a men JUNE25, 1920.

1,368g040. Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SPINNING-TOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

Application filed June 25, 1920. Serial No. 391,734.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. LINDs'rRoM, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spinning-Tops, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in spinning-tops and twisting-heads therefor, designed to be connected together for the purpose of operating the top through the action of a spring contained within the twisting-head.

The invention more particularly belongs to that class of tops made of sheet and other metal parts and including both a hollow topbody and twisting-head employed for giving momentum to the body.

The body of my particular form of top includes a stem which projects from the upper surface of the body and is designed to be passed through a hole in the twlstmg-head so that the top-body may be supported, and readily engaged by the free end of a .W11'6 spring connected to and contained within the twisting-head. The head further includes a yieldable lug forming an engaging means which projects from the head for the purpose of engaging notches in the top side of the body, so that when the head is turned around the stem of the body, the spring will be wound and so that when the lug is disengaged from its hold upon the body the spring will be set free to unwind and impart rotary motion to the body of the top.

My invention aims to provlde a simple, durable and easily operated spinning top wherein a coiled spring is employed within the twisting-head and whereby an improved form of yieldable engaging means 1s provided in the head for holding the top body, when winding the spring of the twlstinghead, and further to provide an improved and simplified form of construction of twisting-head which may be readily stamped from sheet metal and assembled with relatively small expense.

Another feature of the invention is to improve upon the construction of the top-body and particularly to provide a separate stem and spindle and to secure the same in alinemerit in the top-body by separate and inclependent means and to further and generally impr e up n th const t n if theme parts so that the same may be readily connected and operated with relation to each other to advantage and with improved results. lVith these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, sizeand minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

The invention thus set forth in general terms is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification and in which,

Figure 1 shows a top perspective view of my improved form of top-body.

Fig. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the twisting-head therefor. I

Fig. 3 is a central vertical cross section through the top-body shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a central vertical sectional view through the twisting-head shown in Fig.2, and

Fig. 5 shows a'detached perspective view of the spring actuated plate bearing'a lug for engagement with the top-body.

Referring in detail to the characters'o'f reference marked upon the drawings, 6 represents the spindle which is secured in the central portion of the bowl shape bottom section 7 having air ducts 8 through its side portion. 9 represents the top section which is also in part of spherical shape'and has its annular peripheral edge portion 10 turned down and over the annular edge portion of the lower member 7 for securing the two parts together. This top sectionis provided with an annular shoulder 11 against which the lower edge of the side walls 12 of the cap 13 is, positioned for securing the two together. The section 9 is further provided with holes 14; to receive the points 15 of the cap, which are positioned through the holes when assembling the parts and are then the same together. The lower end ofthe stem 16 is positioned in the hole 17 formed in the central portion of section 9 and a collar 18 is formed upon the stern in positionto .105 turned down upon the under side to secure within the upper portion of the top-body, in

alinement with the spindle, but is separate therefrom and adapted to be secured to the upper section prior to assembling of the up-.

per and lower sections.

The holes 20 formed in the top of the cap are positioned to be engaged by the spring secured in the twisting-head and in addition thereto I also provide a series of notches 21 in position to be engaged by the yieldable lug of the twisting-head.

The casing of the twisting-head is made up of a shell 22 including an upper end portionprovided with a central hole 23 to accommodate the stem of the body, andin the side wall of the shell is formed anannular rib 24 which 'afiords 'a better engagement for the fingers of the operator. A closure plate 26 is positioned in the end of the shell against an annular shoulder and is held therein by reason of the raw edge of the shell being turned in upon the edge portion of the plate. This plate is further provided with a central hole 27 which is in alinement with the above mentioned hole 20 which serves to receive the stem of the body. The tubular member 28 is supported centrally within the twisting-head between the top end and the closure plate. Within thisv tube is positioned a spring 29, one end of which is secured at 30 to the top end of the twisting-head and the other end 31 projected and bent to form a hook for the better engagement of the holes 1 in the top-body;

' be a modified form of plate.

The engaging means of the twisting-head for engagement with the top-body is in the form of a plate 32 which is positioned within the outer shell and tube and is provided with a lug or pin 33 that projects through a hole 34 in the bottom end of the twisting head for engagement with the said notches 21 of the top-body. This plate may be in the form of a ring as shown in Fig. 5 adapted to surround the tube in the twisting-head or it may This plate is normally held down against the plate of the twisting head with its lug projected as shown in Fig. 4, by means of the coiled spring 35, which is positioned around the top and intermediateof the two, end portions of the twist ing head. This construction obviously insures the engagement of the end of the spring with the holes in the top body when the twisting-head is positioned upon the stem and wound therearound' and further insures the engagement of the lug with the said notches as the twisting operation is affected.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A sheet metal spinning top including a top body formed of three sections secured together, the intermediate section having a central pocket formed therein and the top section having a hole in alinement with said pocket, a stem secured in the hole of the top section and pocket of the adjoining section and having an annular enlargement positioned between the two said sections, said stem supported by the intermediate section, and a spindle secured to the bottom section in alinement with the above mentioned stem but separate therefrom.

2., A twisting head for spinning tops including a sheet metal casing having a central opening therethrough and a tube surrounding the opening, a spring contained within the tube having one end secured to the head and the other end projected for engagement with a top body, a plate mounted in the head and having a projecting portion that extends from its bottom portion to engage a top body, and a spring pressing against the plate to normally hold the projectionof the plate in an extended position 7 3. A sheet metal spinning top including a top-body formed of an upper and lower section secured together and a cap secured upon the top section, a stem secured in the cap and resting against the top section, said cap having a series of holes and notches in its top side, a twisting'head, a spring actuated holding means mounted in and projected from the head to aline with and engage the notches in the cap, and a spring secured within the head and having one end projected for, en-

gagement with the holes of the cap, said last mentioned spring encircling said tube.

4. A sheet metal spinning top including a top body formed of an upper and lower section secured together and a cap carried upon the top section, said cap having a series of holes and notches in its top side, a stem secured in the cap and against the top section, a twisting head including an outer shell hav ing an annular rib formed in its side and a plate closing its end, a spring secured within the head and having one end projected for engagement with the holes of the cap, a tube inclosing the spring, an engaging member mounted in the shell and projecting through a hole of the closure plate to engage the notches int-he body, and a spring for normally retaining the projection in an extended position.

5. In a sheet metal spinning top, the combination with a hollow top body having a series of holes and notches in its top side a stem secured in the upper portion of t e body, and a spindle in the lower portion separate from the stem, of a twisting head including an outer-shell having an annular rib formed in its side and a plate closing its end and having central alined holes in its two end portions, a tube secured in the head intermediate of said ends, a spring secured'130 Within the tube and having one end projected for engagement with the holes of the topbody, a plate mounted between the tube and shelland bearing a projection for engagement with the notches in the body, and a spring for normally retaining the projection in an extended position.

Signed at Bridgeport in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut this 22nd day of June, A. D., 1920.

' FRANK L. LIN DSTROM.

Witnesses:

C. M. NEWMAN, LILLIAN M. Arms. 

